Collateral Damage
We as a staff opened our ministry year in prayer; Annette received a word about ‘collateral damage’, the fall-out from battle—war’s unintended impact upon others. ‘Jesus has won, the enemy knows it, so he is doing everything in his power to wreak havoc, especially in the area of human sexuality.’ I bore witness as I considered how Jesus is returning for a spotless bride, thus the enemy’s rage against all who aspire to chastity or support those who do.
Hours later I began to receive news reports from a distant colleague of mine who had come out as ‘gay’ to as many media outlets as would amplify his sleazy return to same-gender dating after claiming to have been an upstanding father and husband and an utterly significant leader of ‘conversion therapy.’ His positive significance escapes me. I refuse to mention his name as his besetting problem is narcissism, not same-sex attraction; I consider it unwise to feed the monster by giving him any more media attention.
Only in America do we give a man without much substance a platform to lead others onto ‘wholeness’ when his only ‘gift’ appears to have been a string of progressively confusing selfies—strange stream-of-consciousness commentaries posted online as quickly as he could jabber about his unraveling life. His service may well have been called ‘Me Ministries.’ The train wreck was inevitable.
If I am correct that he inflated his former contribution to Kingdom of Light, I am sure that his ‘repentance’ to the dark side will do significant collateral damage. The enemy seduces the wounded and will amplifies their rantings to further his rage against wholeness. So now our former brother apologizes for the ‘thousands’ (?!) he misled and throws down the gauntlet by insisting that he will stomp out all forms of ‘conversion therapy.’ Believe me, this man never used that language when he was in ministry. How convenient that he is now revising history in order to mouth anything that the LGBT juggernaut wants him to say.
And he will keep jabbering as long as journalists ask questions (this guy just made Time magazine, a dream come true!); uninformed people will listen and wag their tongues about coercive ‘conversionists.’ First line of damage? The dismal lack of truth in the greater culture, especially online, will grow that much darker through his ‘witness.’ This damages us all. He will reinforce the popular view that any and all efforts for persons with gender identity problems to become who God made them to be is impossible. Lord have mercy.
Second line of damage: the young people who looked to this man to help them find the narrow way. He now leads them to perdition. For the focused overcomer, apostasy sharpens the truth. Those just resuming the road to chastity may well be seduced off the path by this disturbing witness. ‘For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves to depravity…’ (2 Peter 2:18, 19a). Lord have mercy on the little ones he stumbles.
Those little ones include two children he fathered and a beautiful wife now subject to a ‘gay’-identified and dating husband. That is the third and worst collateral damage—the poisoning of those who need him most. In the battle for chastity, the enemy burns without mercy for loved ones of the fallen. Annette did not know how prophetic her words about collateral damage were, and how sharp they would be for her as she considered this man’s family. Like his wife, my wife is subject to a husband who is weak and yet strong in Jesus. When one similarly vulnerable takes his eyes off the Savior and fuses with the world, the fire singes family first and most. Please pray for her and their two children. Lord have mercy.
Please take time to watch our new video and become ‘Chaste Together.’
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